Learning To Fall REVISED EDITION
by Teri Neko
Summary: This is a revised edition of my story Learning to Fall. You may read the original if so you desire/ Alcatraz Island, the place where the final showdown happened. Also a place of desitiny for our favorite fire starter and his friend, a telepath.


She remembered when she was tossed into his cell. His cell; apparently there was no worry of sexual activity. She herself couldn't be any less desiring of sex. She could feel where their hands touched, where their knives bit into her delicate flesh,

Her clothes had been sliced to shreds, the tattered ends hanging off her frail body. Exhausted as she was, she never felt more awake when the heavy metal door was pulled open. The guards threw her inside, not caring when her skin met the floor with a sickening smack. They tossed fabric in after her, what she could only guess to be her uniform.

She let her body lie there, the crumpled heap she had been reduced to. A small barred window let in a small beam of sunshine, but she made no motion to stir. Instead she stayed limp, her chocolate brown hair hanging in her face. Her eyes snapped shut, trying to keep images of the last three weeks from assaulting her mind. She took a shuttering breath, finally rolling onto her back.

Movement in the corner of the cell made her eyes snap open. Rolling to her knees she sent a pulse of mental energy in the direction of the sound. Weak as she was it wasn't much, but she heard a male grunt as her assault found purchase.

"Of course," his rough tenor called out, his voice gravelly from underuse. "A telepath, aren't there enough of you out there?"

Exhaustion set into her body, her muscles losing strength as she crumbled against the wall. She swallowed, raising a shaking hand to run through her hair.

"I didn't ask for this. Any of this," she answered, her voice nothing but a whisper. "I just want to live my life, just be normal."

She heard him scoff and she rolled her eyes. Of course, she shared a cell with a smart-ass. Would he have a comment for everything she said and did?

"Sorry sweetheart, but you're nothing close to normal."

She sighed, knowing his words were true. Gritting her teeth she mustered up the last of her strength to pick up her uniform. She couldn't pull it on, or pull off her old clothes, as she felt her body sway and her vision blur.

Suddenly he was beside her, and her blurring eyes scanned his face. She could do nothing to stop him, however, when she felt the material of her clothes slide off her body, replaced by the rough cotton of her uniform.

"Sleep," he said in a gentle voice, pulling her close. "I'll keep you safe."

After that everything went black.

He watched her sleep, watched the worry fade from her thin face. She didn't look like any sort of trouble. Then again, she had to be if she was here, with him. No one but criminals ended up here. At least, that was what he was led to believe.

He felt his lips curl up in a sneer. There was that word again. Criminal, he was a criminal; he's killed dozens of people. He was a hardened, cold-blooded killer. The frail creature in his arms did not look like a murderer.

Despite his predicament he couldn't help but let his eyes roam over her sleeping form. She would have a beautiful figure, were she better fed. He could see her body was frail, even through the brown material that made their uniforms. Her arms had slices, from what he would only guess to be knife cuts. There were more under her uniform, he noticed that. What had the poor girl been through?

The sun was setting, filling the room with a bright orange glow. He turned her so her face was away from the light. At the same time she curled into him, letting out a small whimper. He smoothed her hair from her face, gently caressing her face with his fingers. She calmed at this action, settling into a deep sleep.

A small door in the cell door opened, and two trays of food slid inside before the door closed. He made no motion for it, even though he was starving. The poor thing in his arms needed sleep. But she also needed food.

Gently he shook her, trying to break her unconscious state. She whimpered, this time in pain. He shook her again, and her sapphire blue eyes snapped open.

"Food," was all he said, and she quickly rolled to her knees again. The metal trays were pulled towards them and he smiled. She must be feeling better.

They both ate in silence, save for the sound of chewing and swallowing. Once her tray was cleaned her powers threw it away. She leaned back against the wall, her body going limp again.

He could only imagine the things she went through. Even as sleep fell over her he could see that she was beyond exhausted. As cliché as it was, he wished for her powers, just to peer into her mind.

Alas he didn't have her powers, so he would have to wait until she woke up to get her story.

He promised to keep her safe. His arms wrapped around her delicate waist, pulling her up against him as he settled down for sleep. They hadn't bothered him in a while, and he knew it was coming soon. Only a matter of time before they got bored of whatever poor soul they were entertaining themselves with.

He let his eyes fall closed, listening to the sounds around him. Her breathing, slightly erratic, worried him. She was so vulnerable, so weak, and so innocent. She needed someone to protect her, and unknowingly, the guards had chosen him.

The sound of jingling keys and heavy boots eventually lulled him to sleep.

Everything was happening so slowly and yet she had no time to react to anything. She couldn't move their hands were all over her. Their knives sliced her clothes from her skin, and her skin from her muscle.

She screamed, she called out, but nothing made them stop. She flailed, she kicked, and she bit, still nothing. Not a single thing she did made them stop.

She couldn't do this. She couldn't go through this again. Not again, she couldn't take it.

They were talking to her but she couldn't hear them over the pounding in her ears. Her heart was thrumming, couldn't they hear it? Couldn't they see they were hurting her? Didn't they care?

Over her screams and the pounding in her ears she heard the sound of a belt coming undone. She knew what that mean, especially with her own pants on the ground.

No. This was not happening. Not again, not ever again.

She pushed with her powers, but nothing happened. Three weeks without sleep, did she expect anything less?

They weren't stopping. She tried everything. What more could she do?

His hands, hot like fire, were on her waist, pulling her towards him…

She awoke with a start, her body coated in a thick and cold sweat. It was a nightmare. Only a nightmare, nothing more.

A nightmare that really happened.

Choking back a sob she sat up, groaning as her multiple wounds protested. She was alone, thank god.

She froze. Alone, didn't she fall asleep with someone? Didn't he promise to keep her safe?

She couldn't hold back a sob this time. Did they take her friend from her? Could her life get any worse?

The heavy metal door to her cell was pulled open, her cellmate being tossed inside before it closed. She winced as he cried out when he hit the floor.

She knew she couldn't stand, so as quickly as she could she shuffled over to him, pulling his head into her lap.

Despite his bleeding face he chuckled. "I guess it's your turn to help me."

_John, _her powers told her was his name. She gently wiped the blood from his nose and face.

"Why the hell did they do this, John?" she whispered, still unable to speak any higher than that.

"You're not in Kansas anymore, sweetheart," he responded, not fazed by the ease she had with using his name. "So what should I call you? Or would sweetheart cover it?"

"Haley. My name is Haley."

"Beautiful," he whispered, reaching a shaking and burned hand to brush her hair behind her ear. She grasped his hand, looking at the damage done.

"John, what did they do?"

He chuckled, a dark and pained chuckle. "Since they keep doing it, I'm guessing no one knows what goes on in here. They experiment on us, find out the extent of our powers, and the source. I can control fire."

She couldn't help but give a light smile. Of course, his fiery personality, he was a fire bender. It made perfect sense. Quickly her smile faded, and her body tensed. He groaned as he sat up, meeting her blue eyes with his own brown ones.

"What is it?" he asked gently, placing the other burned and shaking hand on her knee.

"My power isn't physical like yours John. What on earth would they do to me?"

Her breathing began to get erratic, her chest heaving at an attempt to respond to her elevated stress. Her eyes swam with tears as her mind pictured the possibilities.

She was suddenly distracted by John's hands cupping her cheeks, bringing her gaze to his. Almost automatically her breathing slowed, though the tears spilled from her beautiful eyes.

"Haley, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe," he responded with a gentle whisper, pulling her close.

She shook her head, wanting to bury her face in his chest, but she knew it would hurt him. How much more could she take?

"Why?" she asked. "Why me? Why not just focus on yourself and let whatever happens to me happen?"

He fell silent, unable to find the correct formula of words. Instead he brought her gaze to his face again, the words slowly coming to him.

"Because… for… for some reason I… I feel the need to protect you. I can't explain it… there's just something about you… and I promise…. I'll do everything I can."

She swallowed, nodding her head slightly. He brushed the tears from her cheeks before settling into her lap and closing his eyes.

"Whatever I can…" he mumbled sleepily. "I'll do whatever I can."

Haley watched as sleep washed over him as she continued to gently wipe the blood from his face. Something in her told her that protecting her was hard for him. Her powers weren't so rejuvenated that she could read into his mind, even as he slept. But she could tell, that the John before this place would never offer up such a service. None the less she accepted his promise, and made one of her own.

"I'll help you too John. You're not alone here."


End file.
